So much is going on. Yet most are blind to TRUTH and see only what they want to see. It has been an eye opening week for me, interactions with different people that I won't go into here.
The first thing I want to address is the Doctrine of Eternal Security: the once-saved-always-saved or no-works-required doctrine. This is near and dear to many Christians today. The reason is plain to see. They can made a 'mind' decision (and live life on their terms with no changes needed), not a 'heart' decision (which would require making changes in their lives). Let me equate this to the command in the Satanic Bible: Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law I highly recommend you go to this link.
Here is a small excerpt:
“What they [satanists] essentially believe, is that life should be lived in the pursuit of pleasures, and we only get one chance to do it. Sounds like America to us.”
Here is just one Bible verse refuting the above:
“The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.” —Proverb 14:14**********
The Berean - Daily Verse & Comments - Sep 25, 2018
Hebrews 11:6-7
(6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (7) By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Noah accomplished a significant witness, persevering for a very long time under horrific conditions. His witness was of sterling quality and worthy of emulation.
These two verses appear quite innocuous. We read them and consider their teaching a matter of course regarding Christian life and salvation. However, for this world's Christianity, they pose a dilemma for those more deeply aware of the intricacies of Christian responsibility.
Calvinist theologian Arthur Pink (1886-1952) says in his exposition of this passage, "The verses which are now to engage our attention are by no means free of difficulty, especially unto those who have sat under a ministry which has failed to preserve the balance between Divine grace and Divine righteousness." Why would he say this? These two verses, almost single-handedly, nearly destroy one of the most treasured teachings of this world's Christianity—the Doctrine of Eternal Security, the "once saved, always saved" or "no works required" doctrine. [emphasis mine]
Note the end of the quotation: Some ministries have "failed to preserve the balance between Divine grace and Divine righteousness." Preachers who fail to maintain this balance strongly emphasize God's favor while neglecting or ignoring His claims on our lives—our duties and responsibilities to Him—because He owns us! We are His slaves!
To any thinking person, these verses severely undercut those preachers' claims that appear to guarantee grace, that is, to assure salvation. How? Verse 6 clearly states that God rewards those who live by faith, and verse 7 illustrates that, in Noah's case, the reward was that Noah and his house were saved because of what they did.
What did Noah do that was so important to his and his family's salvation? His works produced the ark, the means of escaping death from the Flood. Noah's works were rewarded. Where, then, is grace?
Note that I wrote that these verses "nearly destroy" this concept, not "totally destroy." They do not contain the entire story, but they are very troublesome, to say the least, to those of the no-works stripe. If they do not bother a nominal Christian, he is clearly ignoring what the verses really say, that a person's works play a large part in his salvation. What would have happened to Noah and his family had they convinced themselves that, since God had given Noah grace, no ark needed to be built because God would save them anyway?
— John W. Ritenbaugh
**********If you are here reading this and are not saved or have walked away from God, perhaps you still feel the calling of Holy Spirit on your heart to repent / come back to Him. Let me encourage you to not waste a moment: accept the free-for-you gift of Salvation that Jesus paid for you. What if this is the LAST TIME you have a chance to make this decision? Please choose wisely.
Maranatha,
Anna